


Here is My Heart

by magicalartist



Series: One-Shots- Swanqueen [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 07:54:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8393404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicalartist/pseuds/magicalartist
Summary: Regina has a vivid nightmare about Emma's death after Emma finally confesses her visions. Can Emma and Regina find a way to save each other?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Mostly Canon up to most recent episode. Regina's panic when she learns that she isn't there right beside Emma to protect her from the hooded threat really struck me and stuck with me in that episode. It a side of Regina we have seen before, a fiercely protective, deeply caring side of Regina. To me her first assumption that she must be dead if she isn't there protecting Emma says a great deal about how she sees their relationship, about how much she values that relationship and just how deep that "care" goes for Emma. this piece explores that.

_She couldn’t breathe. Terror tore through her veins, fear, red hot as she lifted a blade in the air and plunged it into the heart of the blonde lying on the cold ground beneath her. as hard as she tried to stop the movements, her body was completely outside of her control. Emma’s green eyes were damp with tears, her name a whisper, a prayer on her lips, “Regina, please…” the blade pinned Emma to the ground as crimson spilled out beneath her. Emma’s eyes held hers as Regina tried desperately to free herself from the nightmare._

_Henry came tearing across the dark field, “Mom, no!” he never made it to Emma. Regina… the Evil queen she realized, (as she turned she could finally see her own body on the cold ground not far from Emma), grabbed Henry forcefully away from her, unceremoniously yanking the boys heart from his chest. Regina let out a strangled cry as she realized that her body lay not far from Emma’s in a graceless heap. The Evil Queen, whose eyes she was still seeing through ordered their son to forget their existence and go home. He complied, his heart still in her grasp. The queen chuckled and tucked Henry’s heart in a box, glancing at Regina’s body on the ground, “pity you couldn’t protect his heart from us.”_

_The queen returned to Emma’s side who surprisingly was still barely hanging on to life by a thread. The queen tskked. She reached down, yanked out the sword with a twist, blood spilling faster now, bubbling out of Emma’s mouth. she was choking._

_The queen bent over her, searching Emma’s face, “whatever did she see in you?”, pausing to brush a strand of hair from Emma’s face_

_Emma struggled to speak but failed, coughing instead, her blood ending up on the queen’s dress. The queen’s calm turned to rage in an instant, “now look what you’ve done, you’ve ruined my dress!”_

_The Queen plunged her hand into Emma’s bloody chest, yanking out her heart and  slowly crushed it in front of her, as Emma managed to croak out, “I forgive you”…Emma struggled for a moment, “ Regina, I still believe in you and… I need you to know… I love you, I always have.” Emma went limp and the life faded from her eyes._

She sat straight up screaming Emma’s name into the emptiness of the mansion.

It took her over an hour to calm herself down enough to calm the severe tremors so that she could stand long enough to shower off the sweat she was drenched in from the nightmare. It took longer for her to stop crying. Every time she blinked she was there all over again. _god is this what Emma had been dealing with for the last few weeks?_ No wonder she hadn’t told anyone.

Regina had experienced more than her fair share of night terrors over the years as a result of the abuse she had both suffered, and dealt out, but nothing, absolutely nothing compared to the vividness of what she had just experienced. How did one even attempt to explain a nightmare like that?

It was so much worse than what Regina had first feared when Emma had finally confessed what was going on with her. she remembered her panic upon hearing Emma’s nightmare’s. _where was I? I wasn’t there beside you?_ _No_ Emma had said, deeply saddened, just as surprised. _was I dead?_ Emma either wouldn’t or couldn’t answer that, Regina had seen her hesitation. _Wait. Do you think I am the one under the hood?_ The panic, the cold gripping fear that she could be capable of doing such a thing, that her darker half would willingly attempt to kill Emma, knowing damn well how deeply Regina cared for her.

 At the time she had also panicked that Emma would still believe her capable of such a thing, but Emma, sweet Emma had been so quick to diffuse that fear, and still Regina had panicked. Regina had been determined to set it right. And God how hard she had tried today. Tried to be brave, to be the friend by Emma’s side, to be supportive, to be exactly what she needed, no more, no less. And God how much it had hurt her.

It took two hours for Regina to find the energy to make it down the stairs to her kitchen and make some coffee. By now it was almost sunrise. She had slept for maybe two hours before the nightmare, and had spent the rest of the night trying to calm down. Her hands wouldn’t stop trembling, reminding her of the times she had spotted Emma’s doing the same, making her heart break all over again, that Emma had been facing this alone, that Emma was so sad, so afraid, yet still trying to protect everyone.

Regina didn’t bother trying to go back to sleep. Her legs were like jelly, her mind was spinning, trying to find an answer, a way out, not for herself, but for Emma, for Henry. She sat on her sofa in the den holding her now cold coffee at 6:30 in the morning, staring at the roaring fire, still trying desperately to think of a plan to save Emma and Henry when the doorbell rang. Her brow furrowed. _Who the hell is here this early?_

Tying her robe tighter around her midsection, she opened the door. Her heart sank when she saw Emma’s disheveled form before her. Emma looked as bad as she did, she had clearly been up for most of the night, and Emma was crying.  Regina opened the door further and went to step aside to allow Emma in but Emma caught her off guard her. Emma stepped directly into her space and pulled Regina into her arms, whispering her name in relief, “ _Regina_ ” Emma was trembling, and the second her arms engulfed Regina, she realized she was too.

Emma began to sob openly in Regina’s arms, the force of her shaking form causing Regina’s already weak form to strain to stay upright. Regina let go of the door, gave it a gentle push to guide it closed and guided them both, as carefully as she could to the floor. Regina tried her best not to cry. She couldn’t speak, she could scarcely breathe.

 Emma’s presence here meant one thing; she likely had encountered the same horrifying nightmare last night. The horror sank in, she knew who would eventually kill her, unless Regina found a way to stop it. She didn’t know where to begin, how to protect Emma or their son, but for now, Emma was here, very much alive, in her arms, in desperate need of comfort.

 Regina didn’t have much experience in comforting anyone outside of her son, but she cared so deeply for Emma, and she wanted so much to ease Emma’s suffering, that she carefully changed her position until Emma was wrapped into her arms, Emma’s head buried in her neck, arms wrapped tightly around Regina, nestled sideways in Regina’s lap on the floor. Ordinarily this level of intimacy would be entirely too much for either of them, with anyone, let alone each other, but they were beyond that right now. So Regina simply adjusted her hold and gently rocked Emma as she sobbed into Regina’s neck.

Regina’s own trembling began to calm as she continued to hold Emma, her mere proximity allowing Emma’s magic to do what it normally did and reach out for her, seeking that familiar connection between them. it calmed her and gradually, the grip on her limbs and vocal chords began to loosen. Her own magic responded in kind, flowing gently into Emma.

Regina didn’t say a word, she simply closed her eyes and focused on directing her magic between them, allowing the connection to build. Gradually she felt Emma’s trembling begin to subside, and her sobs became more infrequent and turned to sniffles, and the tight hold she had on Regina loosened, allowing them both to breathe a little more easily.

Eventually, Emma was simply resting against her, finally spent, something resembling calm. Regina ignored the numbness in her legs, knowing they would scream in protest when they finally moved from the floor, but she didn’t care. She didn’t want to lose this moment, this was too precious to lose, after…. She shook the thought away and focused on rubbing soothing circles into Emma’s back, still not speaking, completely unsure of herself. She was afraid to break the silence, afraid that if she did, this moment of closeness would be over, that Emma would pull back, and both of them would put up the physical barriers that kept them from sharing hugs or any physical contact.

They clearly needed this. Regina was desperate for it, she didn’t want to let go of Emma after the nightmare she was now positive they had somehow shared. She needed Emma right here her warm breath on Regina’s neck, her arms wrapped around her tightly, reminding her that they were both so very much alive in this moment, and if they were alive, they could still protect Henry…

“Henry…” She hadn’t meant to speak, her voice sounding so strangled with fear.

Emma immediately lifted her head, her arms untangling themselves from around Regina and Regina began to panic, she had ruined the moment, but Emma’s hands gently cupped Regina’s face, forcing her to meet her gaze, “He’s safe, I promise, he is with my parents, and the dwarves.” Regina held Emma’s gaze and nodded.

She noticed what Emma hadn’t said, “Hook?” Emma avoided her gaze, pulling away, and standing. She offered Regina her hand and gently lifted Regina to her feet, sending a gentle jolt of healing magic into Regina with the touch to ease the painful sensation of her legs reawakening.  She started to pull away but Regina grabbed her hand and pulled her back, “Emma, please, don’t shut me out _.” I couldn’t take it, we’ve been through too much_

Emma’s stared at her feet, tears beginning to well in her eyes again, and Regina gently brushed them away before lifting Emma’s chin, forcing her to meet Regina’s gaze, “where is Hook?”

Emma whispered, “Gone. He… He lied to me about the shears… he was supposed to keep them away from her… but he thought if He tried to make a deal with her instead, and…  She killed him.” Regina didn’t ask who _She_ was, she knew. She simply pulled Emma into her arms again. she couldn’t be angry at Hook, his death had been a misguided attempt to save Emma. Her anger and self loathing burned within her, but this was no time for self pity, Emma needed her to be strong. Emma needed her to fix this.

At some point, they made it into the kitchen, and Regina pressed a fresh cup of coffee into Emma’s hands before leading her into the den. They sat in silence, side by side, each holding a steaming mug of coffee with one hand, and reaching for each other with the spare hand, still desperately needing some sort of connection to ground them. They stayed that way, fingers lightly entwined for a long time staring at Regina’s now dying fire.

Neither one of them spoke. They had always been comfortable in silence together, but this was different. This silence sat heavily between them. Regina finally sighed, finished her coffee and turned to face Emma. Emma stared steadfastly at the embers in the fireplace.

_“Emma”_

Emma shook her head, “please Regina, it’s too painful.”

“Look at me, please.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper.

Emma shook her head and started to stand, but Regina caught her hand, pulling her back down to the couch, moving closer in the process, “Emma, I watched you die, I watched our son forget you, and me. I killed you, I killed us both.”

Emma still wouldn’t meet her gaze, “it wasn’t you Regina, it was her.”

“You don’t believe that. You never did Emma, we are the same person and you know it”

Emma turned now, fire blazing in her green eyes, “No, you are not the same person Regina, not even close. She is the worst, darkest parts of you, devoid of any love or compassion.”

“Than why were you trying to reason with her? Why tell her…” Regina couldn’t finish, her voice broke off

Emma nodded, “so you saw the whole thing then.” She sighed heavily, running her hands through her hair wearily, “I never wanted you to know about that, I never wanted you to carry that. I just… I think I needed you to know it wasn’t your fault. That I didn’t blame you.”

Regina shook her head, more confused than ever, “But I was dead… I saw my body. So  why would I… unless…?”

Emma leaned in, taking Regina’s hands, her expression earnest, “Regina, please, let it go…”

Regina exploded, “I can’t, no, I won’t let you die for me Emma Swan.”

“Your refusal to do so is exactly what gets me killed Regina!”

Regina recoiled as if she had been slapped, “What?!”

Emma shook her head, stood and tried to flee again, fear evident in her eyes, desperate to not have this conversation but Regina blocked her path, holding her arm, pleading, her voice breaking, “Please, Emma, I am begging you, tell me what you mean. I watched you die, I plunged a sword into your heart, and I tore my son’s heart out of his chest…” She was sobbing… “If I caused this… I need to know…I can’t… I lost Daniel, I killed my parents, and then I lost Robin… God, Emma, I couldn’t take it if I lost Henry, if I lost… _you_ ” her legs threaten to give out from underneath her.

Emma swiftly stepped forward, supporting Regina’s trembling form, guiding her back towards the couch. She pulled Regina into her arms gently. At first, Regina was stiff, resistant to  the comfort Emma offered, Emma’s words replaying over and over in her mind but Emma was now the one gently rocking her, rubbing small, comforting circles into her back, whispering comforting phrases as she kissed the crown of Regina’s head and once again, Emma’s magic seeped in, uninvited, but always welcome, urging her to relax and accept what Emma was offering.

after a while in Emma's arms, Regina calmed enough to regain some of her composure, and pulled herself upright, meeting Emma’s gaze, “you have to tell me Emma. I need to know” She hated that she sounded like she had swallowed gravel.

Emma searched her gaze for a moment and sighed heavily. “You tried to reintegrate with the queen, but she knew you were going to try that, and she was prepared for that so instead of her going back into you… you went into her. That’s why I said what I said; you were trapped in her, trying to regain control, without anything to ground you… …” Emma’s voice sounded far away, Regina was hyperventilating, “Regina, you need to breathe Regina…”

Reintegrating was exactly what she had been considering doing. It was the best plan. It was the ONLY plan. But if she went forward with it, Emma would die and it would be entirely her doing. The panicked bloomed in her chest and Regina’s world went black.

“Regina! Regina! Oh God, Regina, wake up…” Emma’s voice was panicked, and very far away. She focused on the sound and slowly it came back into focus. She was laying on the couch in the den, Emma hovered over her, looking terrified.

Regina reached for her weakly, and Emma took her hand, letting out a sigh of relief, “god Regina, you scared the shit out of me.”

Regina couldn’t speak, she was so overwhelmed with the implications of what she had learned. Emma still held her hand, sitting on the edge of the couch, protectively, dabbing a cool cloth over Regina’s forehead with her free hand. Regina guided the hand that held hers over her heart and held it there, watching the emotions flitting across Emma’s face as she felt Regina’s heartbeat beneath her palm. She saw the fear fade slowly, she saw the concern, she watched carefully as each emotion crossed Emma’s face, her eyes on her hand, held over Regina’s heart. Regina waited patiently. She knew what expression she was looking for, she had seen it on Emma’s face before, a million times before. It was a certain glint in her eyes, softness in her face, an openness that says I trust you completely. Even when she had been dying, in that horrific vision, just before she faded, Regina had been gifted with that expression one last time. But she needed to see it now, now more than ever.

Emma’s eyes finally left their hands and met Regina’s searching eyes, and Regina’s breath caught because there it was that ridiculous expression that shouldn’t be there. That expression that was there when Emma said, _“there you go telling the truth again”_ years ago, when Regina confessed she couldn’t live without Henry. It had made her breathless then, and it made her breathless now. It was the same expression that Emma wore when she stubbornly insisted that she believed in Regina. The time she wanted to be friends. Every time she saw that expression before crashed through her memory, stealing her breath away for a moment.

Emma gave her a soft smile, tears in her eyes, “I can’t lose you either Regina, don’t you get that by now? What else do I need to do to get you to see that you mean everything to me?”

Regina tried to sit up, her muscles protesting. Emma gently pushed her back down. “just stay put, rest.”

Emma started to rise but Regina started to panic, “Emma, please, don’t leave. Stay.”

Emma sat back down immediately and Regina grasped her hand again, bringing it once more to her heart, holding it there. Emma glanced at her hand,  her eyes flitting up to Regina’s.

Regina saw the idea forming before Emma spoke, “Regina, do you remember when we tried splitting my heart and giving half of my heart to Killian?”

Regina nodded, unsure where this was going, “yes, I remember it didn’t work, it nearly killed you Emma”

Emma nodded, “because Killian wasn’t my true love.”

Regina stared at her blankly.

“Regina, you crushed the evil queens heart.”

Regina was still completely lost, “Emma, where are you going with this?”

Emma glanced at her hand, still pressed gently above Regina’s heart.

“You split with the queen. And you crushed her heart, but she is still alive.  How can she still be alive without a heart?”

Regina’s eyes widened, she was beginning to understand where Emma might be headed with this line of thinking,  “ you think she took part of my heart with her when we split so that when I crushed it, I would believe her to be dead, but that she is still alive because part of my heart is still beating?”

Emma nodded at her hand on Regina’s chest, “May I?”

Regina felt a momentary pang of fear, but immediately released it, this was Emma, she trusted Emma, “Yes. I trust you”

Emma positioned her hand carefully over Regina, then carefully plunged in,  and pulled out as quickly as possible. Regina tried desperately to cover her wince. Emma immediately apologized, "I'm Sorry, I tried to not make that hurt" But Regina was staring at Emma's hand.

She was shocked that Emma had guessed correctly. Emma held half of a heart in her hand, and it was horribly cracked and disfigured. Both she and Emma gasped at its condition as Emma cradled it gently in her hands.

“Regina, your heart…”

“I am dying anyway…”

Emma didn’t turn away fast enough to hide the tears from Regina.

Regina managed to sit up, and gently turned Emma to face her, “This is not your fault.” she knew damn well Emma didn't believe her. she would never have believed it if their positions were reversed, no matter what Emma tried to tell her, but she had to try. 

Emma cradled Regina’s broken heart in her hand gently, “Regina, I think… I think I might know how to save you… and kill the evil queen… but its crazy… and… well… it didn’t exactly work the first time…”

Regina’s eyes met hers,her heart filling with dread as she realized what Emma wanted to do, “Emma, no… If it doesn’t work, it could kill you…”

Emma looked at her with such open desperation, “I can’t lose you Regina”

“Emma, no”

“Regina, listen to me, I need you to hear me out, okay. I came over here for a reason.”

Regina shook her head,  “ you keep giving up everything for me…..”

“Because I love you Regina. More than I have ever loved anyone…”

Regina stared at her, mouth dropping open in shock, “You love me?”

 Emma looked hurt, “is that really so hard to believe? After everything we have been through?”

 Regina leaned away from Emma, “But Emma, how, why, how could you possibly love me? After everything I have done?”

Emma leaned forward, gently cradling Regina’s heart in one hand, holding her still with the other, and put her heart back where it belonged in one swift, incredibly gentle move, freeing her hands to cradle Regina’s face, “Regina, look at me”

Regina’s eyes finally met hers after a long moment, and Emma continued, “ You are an amazing mother. You love Henry with all of your heart. You put everything you are into loving and protecting him. That’s all I ever wanted for him. I fell in love with your passion, with your fire, with your wit, with the way that you never back down. I knew… from the moment I saw you willing to die to save the town from the trigger, I knew then that I was in love with you. I just thought there was no way an incredible woman like you would ever give me the time of day”

Regina started to argue, “But Hook…”

“Didn’t matter… I wouldn’t give him the time of day no matter how hard he tried, Not until….” Emma started to choke up, “Not until I lost you to Robin, I didn't... I didn't even think about trying to fall in love with hook until then. and I never loved him the way I love you.”

Regina remembered Emma’s behavior in Camelot, the kiss she had shared with Robin, and the very out of character public kiss Emma had shared with Hook before she had all but fled the room, obviously distraught. It hadn’t made sense to her then, but now…

 _“ Emma”_ she reached for her but Emma pulled away shaking her head, “It’s okay”

_“Oh, Emma”_

“It doesn’t matter now Regina. What matters now is I can save you. And you don’t need to die. I Love you… my heart, it couldn’t save Hook, because I while I loved him, I didn’t love him the way I love you… I don’t expect anything in return, I wouldn’t, I couldn’t do that to you. But please… Let me do this for you, for our son.”

Regina searched Emma’s eyes for a long moment before nodding in agreement but immediately raised her hand to stop Emma from speaking again, “you are wrong you know. About me not loving you back.”

Emma’s brow furrowed, and Regina leaned forward, placing her hand over Emma’s heart, “May I?”

Emma swallowed and nodded, “I trust you”

Regina withdrew Emma’s heart every bit as gently as she had the first time she had done it, cradling the heart in her hand between them, “My mother couldn’t do this, remember?” Emma nodded.

“Do you know why?” Regina asked, her voice soft, as her thumb gently caressed Emma’s heart in her palms, thoroughly distracting her.

“My magic protected me.”

Regina nodded but expanded, “Your true love magic protected you Emma. That same magic has now allowed me to withdraw your heart twice, has allowed me to split it, and make it whole again, but rejected you attempting to join it with Hook.”

Emma nodded again, shuddering lightly as Regina caressed her heart one more time before gently placing it back in her chest. Regina left her hand over Emma’s heart, feeling the comforting pulse beneath her palm, her eyes begging Emma to understand.

“Emma, your magic recognizes that I would never hurt you. Not only do you trust me,it's more than that.  Your magic does, because I, not Hook, am your true love Emma. Think about it. Think about the son we share. Think about the fact that we were meant to be mortal enemies, and yet, I end up adopting your son, you show in town, with a destiny to destroy me, and instead, you befriend me. think about the fact Emma, that through every single disaster that has struck this town, we have fought it off together, you and I. Think about the fact that when I heard about your vision and I heard that I wasn’t there, my first thought was that I must have been dead, because there is no way I could live with myself if I ever hurt you, let alone deliberately.” With each word, Regina grew more earnest, her expression allowing more of her carefully guarded emotions to shine through.

“Emma, there is something else…”

Emma nodded, “I already know, you still have to reintegrate with her, or you wont survive with half a heart. Its actually how I put the whole thing together. She split from you, taking half your heart, and you crushed it. You tried to reintegrate with her without something anchoring you, something stronger than her hatred for me, which is why she was able to trap you and kill me. That’s why you need half of my heart. But the only way that works is if you feel the same way…”

_Please…please see it, please see how much I love you_

Emma’s eyes searched hers and she sat still, praying to gods she had never believed in that Emma would see in her expression what she finally saw in Emma’s. Apparently she did. Emma gave her a small, wry smile, “Well, I guess this might actually work then”

Regina actually laughed in relief, for the first time in what felt like days, her heart finally lightening, after the heavy burden of the nightmare she had seen just hours earlier. Emma leaned forward and wrapped Regina in a warm hug. Regina returned the hug with just as much strength and warmth, feeling safe, and protected and loved, and for the first time in weeks, something like hope. she wondered why they had never hugged before, this felt so comforting, so right, so safe. _it felt like... home_

Emma released her gently with a gentle kiss on her forehead, grinning at the blush that creeped up Regina’s collarbone. It had been years since she had felt this way about a woman, years since a woman had touched her this way.

Emma glanced at her watch and sighed, “I guess we need to get a plan together then, we need to do this right.”

Regina nodded, mustering her energy, she stood and waved her hands over herself, changing out of the ruffled house clothes, and into one of her power suits.

Emma openly appraised the outfit with a raised eyebrow and a lopsided smirk.

Regina poked her side, earning a short bark of laughter from Emma “ you are staring sheriff swan”

“My apologies Madam Mayor, shall we go rally the troops?” Regina nodded and they both became serious instantaneously.

They vanished in a cloud of smoke and reappeared in the small charming apartment into the midst of chaos. The Queen was already there, and she had Henry by the collar.

The queen cackled at the women’s sudden appearance, “ah, so everyone made it, just in time.”

Regina stared in horror as her darker half closed her fingers around Henry’s throat.

“I had all these fun plans Regina dear, but it seems you and Emma couldn’t stay on script… so now it seems I will have to kill your son, right here, right now…”

Regina started to step forward, but Emma grabbed her arm, pulling her back, hissing in her ear, “ That means it will work Regina.”

Regina turned towards Emma and nodded, then turned to Henry, “Henry, I love you, no matter what, I need you to know that. I love you, I always have!”

“Mom!” Henry was afraid for his mother, sensing something was wrong. Regina gave him a look so full of love, and so full of sorrow. It was clear she still believed there was a chance Emma didn’t love her enough for this to work.

She gently plunged her hand into Emma’s chest first, pulling her heart out and splitting it into two, returning half to its original place immediately.

The queen stopped, frozen, seemingly fascinated by what was occurring in front of her. It was as if she wanted to know if this would work too.

Regina held onto half of Emma’s heart as Emma reached gently into her chest and retrieved Regina’s horribly fragmented heart. Everyone in the room gasped at the sight. Emma now traded halves with Regina as Regina turned towards the Queen.

“Release my son.”

The Queen laughed, “Don’t you mean our son dear?”

Regina squeezed the half heart in her hand menacingly, crying out in pain as she did so, as the queen watched completely unfazed.

“Release my son!” Regina repeated

“Mom, Please, Don’t”

“Henry, you will be okay, everything will be okay. Trust me.”

Regina returned her gaze to the queen in front of her, “you are part of me. I was a fool to think I could separate myself from you. But I am stronger than you now. I am not the same person any more, that’s why I was able to separate from you in the first place. I have people that love me, and I have learned to love again and my ability to love, has always been stronger than your ability to destroy.”

The queen laughed dismissively, “We will see about that”

Regina turned to Emma, “Emma, whether this works or not, I Love you. Take care of our son.”

Emma stepped close enough to brush a kiss across Regina’s forehead again, “I will, and you will be here right next to me, same as always, together.”

Regina turned and without a sign of hesitation crushed her own heart, crumpling to the ground. Emma, snow and Henry all cried out simultaneously as Charming stared in shock and the Queen laughed, ‘this is never going to work!” The queen was now brandishing a very familiar sword and moving towards Emma as she leaned over Regina. Emma gently placed half of her heart in Regina’s chest, amazed that it didn’t hurt at all to do so.

Charming launched forward to block the Queen’s advances while Emma cradled Regina in her arms, whispering to her, “Regina, you need to wake up, we need to finish this.” Henry landed roughly beside Emma, and gently shook his mother, “Mom, please, I need you… you are supposed to teach me how to drive, and be at my graduation.  Mom!” Henry was becoming more panicked by the second as Regina took longer and longer to awaken.

 Emma leaned over her once more, whispering in her ear, “Come back to us, we love you” she brushed the softest of kisses across Regina’s lips and when she pulled away, soft brown eyes were staring into hers, as Regina’s hand instinctively reached for Henry’s.  Emma whispered a soft, “hey” earning one in return as she helped Regina sit up. Both Snow and Charming were still trying to keep the Queen busy as Emma and Henry helped Regina to her feet.

Regina stepped out of the safety of Emma’s arms, giving her a reassuring smile as she moved towards the Queen, her stride all business. The queen never saw it coming. Snow and Charming had her too distracted dodging blows from their swords and arrows for her to see Regina approach. Regina was suddenly there, and as soon as she touched her, the reintegration began, almost in reverse of what the separation had looked like. Regina struggled desperately, fighting for control, but finally, the queen was gone, and it was Regina standing in front of them.

Emma approached first, cautiously. Regina was still half bent over, staring at her hands, crying, clearly in pain.

“Regina?” Emma’s tone was soft, gentle. Her hands gently supported Regina, lifting her to her full height, turning her in Emma’s arms. Emma could see the war still raging in Regina’s eyes. Regina was fighting hard, and the queen was putting up a hell of a fight. Emma took one hand and placed it over Regina’s new half heart, then took one of Regina’s and placed it over Emma’s heart, she held their hands there, urging Regina to look her in the eyes.

“Regina, hey, look at me” Emma bent her knees to meet Regina’s gaze, she could see the queen in them but ignored her, focusing on the Regina’s brown orbs instead, “That’s right.. stay with me. I am right here. I am not going anywhere. You are not alone. You are never alone. We are stronger together. Breathe. Find our magic, that’s it, find the link. You are doing fantastic Regina…” The queen was fading from Regina’s eyes, and Regina could feel the Queens hold over her fading from her system as their magic thrummed through her system.

Emma’s heart in her chest was strong, and it created in her an even stronger connection between their magic. Within moments, she couldn’t hear the Queens influence anymore, it was as if she had faded entirely from Regina’s being.

She felt exhausted, like she had fought ten battles. She could feel her son pressed against her side, unwilling to let go, even for a moment, and understandable so. He had watched her die. She took several deep calming breaths as their magic continued to pass between them, healing her. Emma eventually released her new heart gently and pulled her into another war hug instead and she went willingly, thinking she could definitely get used to being wrapped up in the warmth that is Emma Swan.

 

Six Months Later

Regina felt giddy. Tonight was the night. She could feel it. She had waited what felt like an appropriate amount of time. She hadn’t wanted to rush things with Emma. She was too important. They had agreed to go slow and slow they had gone. They had dated for the last six months. Tonight, Emma was coming over for dinner, and tonight, Regina couldn’t wait anymore.

Regina chose her dress carefully, fluffed her hair which had grown out again ( Emma loved it longer) and fiddled with the dishes on the dining room table for the millionth time. It needed to be perfect.

“Mom, stop worrying. She is going to love it, and she is going to say yes.” Henry swept into the room wearing a suit, approaching her pointedly asking for her to do the tie without actually voicing it. she obliged happily, glad her son still needed her for some things. He grinned and before she asked, patted his pocket, “its right here”

She nodded as the doorbell rang. She walked to the mirror by the door and checked her reflection one last time. The red dress hugged her curves in all the right places. The shoes gave her just enough height to be even with Emma. Not a strand of hair was out of place. And in six months, not one sign of the queen had emerged in her brown eyes. No sign was there tonight either.

She went to the door and swung it open, her jaw dropping open. Emma was in a strapless red dress, heels that accentuated her calves and her hair fell around her shoulders in light curls. She was staring similarly at Regina.

Henry cleared his throat behind her, “well are you going to let her in Mom, or stand there staring at each other all night?”

Regina laughed awkwardly and stepped aside to let her girlfriend in, getting a kiss on the cheek as Emma went by.

Emma caught sight of Henry and grinned, “my, don’t we look fancy tonight?”

He smiled, “thanks ma, you look pretty awesome yourself, doesn’t she mom?” he winked and sauntered for the kitchen, clearly giving them a minute.

Regina closed the front door and stepped into Emma’s waiting arms, lifting onto her toes so her lips would lips meet Emma’s  in a gentle kiss. “ you do look dashing this evening my dear”

Emma laughed, “ as do you Regina, you look absolutely incredible in that dress, it short circuited my brain for a moment when I saw you”

Regina kissed her again, nipping Emma’s bottom lip playfully before pulling away and leading her into the dining room.

Emma gasped when she saw how elegantly decorated the dining room was. “Wow, Regina, I know you said this was a special family dinner, but, wow…”

Regina smirked, thoroughly pleased that Emma liked it.  Henry emerged from the kitchen, bringing the plates of food and they sat down to eat together, as a family. They talked and laughed. Henry shared stories about his classes, Regina er board meeting antics, and Emma the antics from the Sherriff’s office. Regina relished the joy and laughter in her home.

Her home growing up had been one filled with fear. There had rarely been joy or laughter. Those moments had bene so few and far between for her growing up, and it had helped shape her path. She had wanted  nothing more than to have a home one day full of joy and laughter and she finally did. It was unconventional. But it was hers. They had finished dinner, cleaned up the dishes and headed for the living room. Both women had kicked off their heels and somehow, Regina’s feet had ended up in Emma’s lap. Emma was massaging her feet while they continued talking.  Henry sat in a chair nearby, on the edge of his seat, completely engrossed in the conversation with his two mom’s. It was clear he was waiting for something.

Regina waited for Emma to finish massaging her feet, and when she had released her feet, she signaled Henry. Henry froze, looking between his two mothers, confused, torn. Regina glanced at him again and then at Emma who was clearly, not so subtly trying to get Henry to do something for her. She glanced back at her son who at this point looked panicked.

Regina calmly stood and walked over to her son and whispered in his ear, “just hand them both over”

Henry stared at her, flabbergasted, and whispered, none to quietly, “you knew?!”

Regina laughed, reached into the inside breast pocket of her son’s jacket and withdrew both ring boxes and returned to the couch calmly.

Emma looked three seconds from bolting so Regina gently took her hand, and tilted her chin, forcing her to meet her gaze, “hey”

Regina pressed a gentle, chaste kiss to Emma’s lips and whispered, “ I love you Emma Swan”

That seemed to be enough to keep Emma rooted to the spot for the moment and chaste enough to Keep Henry from fleeing too.

Regina knew which box was meant for Emma. She set that one on the coffee table and handed the one Emma had intended for her to her girlfriend.

Emma stared at her, “but…”

Regina laughed, “Emma Swan, do you really think it matters to me, who asks, or who says yes, so long as someone asks, and someone says yes and the end result is that You and I spend the rest of our lives together raising Henry and spoiling grandchildren?”

Emma’s eyes filled with tears, “I love you so much Regina, how the hell did I get lucky enough to have a woman like you?”

“beats the hell outa me” Regina snarked, thinking it would make Emma laugh. It didn’t. she cried harder.

“Oh for fucks sake” Regina growled, she pulled Emma to her and kissed her, making every bit of her love and passion for Emma Swan crystal clear in that one kiss. Henry fell out of his chair backwards, jumped up and fled the room.

Both Regina and Emma ended laughing instead of kissing, but Regina was relieved, because Emma wasn't crying, or fleeing anymore.

Emma looked at her seriously a moment later, “Regina Mills, will you do me the incredible honor of marrying me?”

Regina grinned, “ let me ask my son what he thinks about that”

 Henry  called from the stairwell, “Yes! Get Married already! Just put a damn silencing spell on the bedroom BEFORE Ma moves in is all I ask!”

Regina and Emma stared at each other for a moment before they both yelled, “Language young man!” before promptly bursting into laughter.  Once they calmed down Emma looked at Regina seriously again, “so…Henry said yes”

Regina leaned forward and tugged Emma towards her, “than yes, Emma. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, if you will have me.”

Regina kissed Emma with such tenderness. Emma moaned at the contact.

Emma pulled back long enough to slide the ring onto Regina’s finger, grinning when it fit her perfectly.

Regina picked up her box off of the table, and flipped open the lid, revealing an identical ring, sized for Emma.  Emma’s eyes were welling up again.

“How… how did we end up doing that?”

“You forget darling… we share a heart, that creates a connection we are only beginning to understand. We are true loves, I actually rather expected us to do something like this.” she pulled the ring from the box and held up Emma’s hand gently, “May I?”

Emma nodded eagerly and Regina gently slid the ring onto her finger, and gently brought her hand to her lips, maintaining eye contact with Emma the whole while, “perfect”

Emma blushed a deep scarlet and Regina chuckled, leaning in for another lingering kiss, “I really, cannot wait to marry you my dear, and make use of that silencing spell Henry suggested”

Emma groaned, “god, you had to do things the traditional way didn’t you?!”

Regina pulled back and gave Emma a serious look, “ I want to do right by you, by you both Emma. You mean too much to me, I want my story to play out the way its supposed to. I love you”

Emma leaned in and kissed Regina soundly, wrapping her fiancé in her arms, “ and I you. just promise me you won’t make me wait another six months to marry you”

Regina grinned, “ with your mother planning the wedding, we are lucky its three months out and not one.”

Emma groaned, “you seriously agreed to let her be the wedding planner?”

Regina let out a hearty laugh, “ let’s just say, when Snow White is about to be your mother in law, you learn to pick your battles”

Emma nodded, a smirk working it’s way across her features, “I suppose you are right, besides, what could possibly…”

Regina growled, “Don’t you dare finish that sentence” and silenced her fiancé with a kiss

And they lived happily ever after


End file.
